Public Consultation on Internet of Things

On May 12, 2017 Resolution 7-E/2017 (“Resolution”) was published in the Official Gazette, by the Secretariat of Information and Communication Technology (hereinafter the “Secretariat”) (which called a public consultation aimed at gathering information on the opinions, proposals and needs of different players and sectors involved in the development of the Internet of Things (IoT). The purpose of the consultation is to aid in designing public policies or regulations that promote the development of the Internet of Things and that boost the investment in applications and solutions which contribute to the growth of the economy.

This initiative is part of a broader effort, which includes the Internet Services Workgroup (Grupo de Trabajo de Servicios de Internet) created by Resolution 8/2016 and the organization of the “Public-Private Conversations: Internet of Things. An opportunity for Argentina” (Diálogo Público-Privado: Internet de las Cosas. Una oportunidad para la Argentina). During this event held on December 16, 2016, representatives of the government, the private sector, academia and the civilian society gathered with the aim of discussing public policies and regulations for the development of the Internet of Things.

The Resolution includes a short overview of some considerations related to the Internet of Things, including its implications and possible benefits. Among other things, the Resolution acknowledges the increasing importance of the Internet of Things. It further states that its growing social, technical and cultural significance would generate benefits in many fields, for example agriculture, health, transport and environmental management.

According to the Resolution, the consultation was opened on May 12, 2017. Opinions and proposals must be filed within thirty (30) working days as of the date of opening.

Annex I contains the document on which the public consultation will be conducted. It defines the Internet of Things as the connection of a huge variety of devices to the net that allow for the gathering information to control, manage and act in different circumstances. Furthermore, it includes a short summary of the abovementioned background.

The document identifies several topics on which the public will be consulted. The first item refers to regulatory matters. The main issue regarding this aspect is whether the government should regulate the Internet of Things. In case of an affirmative answer, the document requests further information on the features of the necessary regulation, the laws that must be created, how these must be updated, and whether the government should provide protective regulatory measures in this field or not.

Following, questions are made on the management of radio-electric range, personal data protection and the security measures demanded for the collection of personal data.

The second item includes questions on how to foster the growth of the industry. The consultation asks for the opinion of the public on what the role of the government must be as a promoter and enabler of the Internet of Things, and, if appropriate, how these promotion policies must be applied.

Finally, the third item of the public consultation focuses on the economic and social impact of the Internet of Things. Specifically, it raises the issue of how the Internet of Things can encourage social and economic development, as well as existing challenges and opportunities. In addition, it poses questions on the contributions that the Internet of Things may make to business productivity and competitiveness, and to social and economic life.